Tesla Ordered to Upgrade Owner's FSD Computer for Free

Tesla's FSD package requires hardware 3.0 or higher

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Tesla owner Ian Jordan has just set an interesting precedent. He took the automaker to a small claims court in Washington and won. But, unlike the other court case that Tesla is involved in, there weren't truckloads of files and teams of lawyers. No, this one flew so far under the radar that Tesla didn't even send anyone to represent the company in court, giving Jordan the win.

Precedent Setting Case

But the victory could be just the beginning as it's likely there are more owners of Teslas who are in the same situation as Jordan. The owner of a Model 3 found himself without access to Full Self Driving, despite the company's claim that all vehicles built since 2016 have all the hardware needed for FSD.

The latest FSD hardware is hardware 3.0, and Tesla offers owners a free upgrade to the latest hardware if you buy Tesla's FSD package.

That's where the trouble started. Jordan's Model 3 is equipped with a hardware 2.5 computer, which isn't FSD compatible, but he wasn't ordering the full self-driving package. He wanted to subscribe to the program at $199 a month instead of the $15,000 USD upfront cost. Tesla wanted to charge owners $1,500 (later reduced to $1,000) to add the newly upgraded computer. That did not sit well with Jordan, and the Judge agreed.

According to Electrek, Judge Matthew A. Skau stated: Furthermore, Plaintiff purchased a second Tesla Model 3, relying on advertisement from the company that all Tesla 3 models come with all the necessary hardware for self-driving. Defendant learned that, in fact, installing the self-driving function would cost $1,106 in further hardware upgrades in violation of Tesla's false advertising.

Class Action False Advertising Continues

Meanwhile, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Tesla in September, claiming false advertising around Full Self Driving continues. Tesla has asked for the suit to be dismissed. CNN reports that Tesla stated, "Mere failure to realize a long-term, aspirational goal is not fraud… Just failing to meet Musk's own expectations isn't evidence that anyone purposely tried to deceive consumers, which would constitute fraud."

As for the much more minor case, Jordan made a separate claim against Tesla. He claimed that his other Tesla was equipped with an MCU1 media unit, and despite still being under warranty, Tesla would not fix it and recommended paying for an MCU2. Again, the Judge found a breach of contract, ordering Tesla to pay Jordan for upgrading to the new computer. Tesla quickly paid both court orders.

What do you think? Tesla is already upgrading owners to hardware 3.0 for free if they buy FSD, but should they be required to upgrade owners who wish to subscribe? Should Tesla require owners to subscribe for a certain period?

Tesla Improves Wrap Services: Switches to Vinyl, Cuts Prices Drastically, Adds New Colors and Expands Availability

Not a Tesla App

After canceling the in-house wrap program for the Cybertruck last month, Tesla has reintroduced the program with a lot of changes. Let’s take a look at the original program, then we’ll dive into what’s changed.

Tesla began the wrap program for the Model 3 and Model Y in the fall of 2023. With the arrival of the Cybertruck, Tesla launched Matte Black and Satin White options for the Cybertruck and later added 11 more colors.

Tesla initially offered high-quality PPF (Paint Protection Film) wraps, which protect the paint in addition to changing the color of the vehicle. PPF is thicker than traditional vinyl wraps, but the material costs more and is more time-consuming to apply.

Tesla’s updated program switches away from PPF wraps and now offers traditional vinyl wraps at a cheaper price. This makes Tesla’s wrap service more comparable to third-party installers.

Correction: We initially reported that the new wrap program offered PPF rather than vinyl and that the program was only available for new deliveries.

New Wrap Prices

First things first - the price of the wraps has dropped considerably, mostly due to the change away from PPF. While these prices are still a little more expensive than what you could find at a third-party location, you have the advantage of getting it directly from Tesla.

Tesla initially offered 11 wrap colors, but that selection has now been reduced to eight per vehicle. Interestingly, the color options vary by model—Model 3 and Model Y owners have their own distinct palette. The Cybertruck also boasts its own unique set of colors, though unfortunately, the popular Satin White option is absent from its catalog.

Of course, the ever-popular Matte Black is still available, along with a fairly unique set of other vivid colors.

New Locations

Not a Tesla App

When the wrap program launched, it was limited to just three locations in California and one location in Texas. That meant that unless you were taking delivery at West Covina, Oceanside, Costa Mesa, or Santa Clara, you’d be unable to get a first-party wrap done by Tesla.

Under the new program, Tesla is offering wraps out of all the original locations and adding Seattle, Washington. What initially seemed like Tesla scaling back its wrap service has turned out to be them making it more affordable and efficient. While the switch to vinyl may disappoint some owners, in reality, a lot of owners probably didn’t know the difference between PPF and vinyl, making Tesla’s service seem disproportionally more expensive.

No Longer New Purchases Only

While the original wrap program was constrained to new vehicle purchases—you can now have Tesla wrap a vehicle that’s already been delivered. Paint damage and scuffs can impact the installation of wraps and require additional time to smooth out the vehicle surface, and most third-party installers charge additional fees to prepare the surface.

Tesla doesn’t appear to be charging any additional surface prep fees at this time and is able to install on any Model 3, Model Y, or Cybertruck that’s been delivered after 2023.

Either way, with cheaper wrap options, Tesla is now directly competing against third-party wrap shops. While it’s still a bit more expensive than you’d find elsewhere, it also comes with a level of care and precision from technicians intimately familiar with your vehicle.

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Tesla Increases Price of Model S; Starts Offering Free Lifetime Supercharging

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For the first time in quite a while, Tesla has increased the price of one of its vehicle offerings. The Model S Long Range and the Model S Plaid have both received a hefty price increase. However, not all is bad - as Tesla also added a new benefit for buyers.

Price Increase

The price increase for the Model S is $5,000 - currently only in the United States. This price increase will likely impact other markets, including Canada, in the coming days.

The Model S Long Range now starts at $79,990, while the Model S Plaid now starts at $94,990. The Model S and Model X now have the same starting price. Interestingly, that’s also the same pricing point for the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast Trimotor non-Foundation Series. 

The vehicle configuration does not appear to have changed, so the new pricing is simply an increase rather than the addition or removal of features. Tesla previously cut the price of the Model S and Model X by 15% in 2023, so this could simply be an adjustment to ensure that the vehicle pricing stays in line with inflation and other factors.

Free Lifetime Supercharging

For those on the fence about ordering a Model S, Tesla has brought back Free Lifetime Supercharging when you order a new Model S on or after December 13, 2024. As always, Free Lifetime Supercharging is restricted to the buyer’s Tesla account and to that specific vehicle. It cannot be transferred to another vehicle or another owner after ownership transfer. It’s worth noting, that it also doesn’t exclude the owner from receiving Supercharger idle fees or congestion fees. There is currently no end date for this promotion.

There are currently no changes to the Model X, neither a price increase nor the addition of Lifetime Superchargering. However, when Tesla makes changes to one of their premium vehicles, it usually affects the other one as well. So be on the lookout for potential changes to the Model X offering in the coming days.

We’ve seen Tesla value Lifetime Supercharging at $5,000, so this falls in line with the price increase we’re seeing. It’s possible that Tesla will begin to bring back Lifetime Supercharging as a perk for buying into their more premium Model S and Model X cars, or this could be another temporary promotion to get buyers who are on the fence to go ahead and make their purchase while this promotion lasts.

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